Sgt Alexander Blackman

[Southern]

Just playing devils advocate for the moment. There's a strong argument that his actions could have endangered the lives of other British soldiers. If you start executing prisoners, then even when they are outnumbered and surrounded they will see no point in surrendering. They might as well fight to the death and take as many of the enemy with them as they can.

True

 

[Tanzeylee]

Just playing devils advocate for the moment. There's a strong argument that his actions could have endangered the lives of other British soldiers. If you start executing prisoners, then even when they are outnumbered and surrounded they will see no point in surrendering. They might as well fight to the death and take as many of the enemy with them as they can.

Think they would rather fight to the death than be tortured

 

[stony]

Think they would rather fight to the death than be tortured

That must be why so many of them are in Guantanamo bay.

 

[cibaman]

I think the outcome is correct. What he did in those circumstances was understandable, but I'm not comfortable with the way that sme elements of the press seem to be trying to turn him into a hero. Many thousands of our soldiers will have been in the same situation and resisted the urge to pull the trigger.

 

[west didsblue]

Still a piece of shit.

So a man that the courts have accepted was suffering from an adjustment disorder, that had led to an abnormality of mental functioning that substantially impaired his ability to exercise self-control, is still a piece of shit!!
No surprise where your sympathies lie.

 

[BimboBob]

So a man that the courts have accepted was suffering from an adjustment disorder, that had led to an abnormality of mental functioning that substantially impaired his ability to exercise self-control, is still a piece of shit!!
No surprise where your sympathies lie.

Ignore him. A comment like that can only be made by someone who is fishing or a complete imbecile. Either or, he's not worth responding to.

 

[Chippy_boy]

My gut reaction to this is I suspect like many people here, which is what he did is despicable and that there's no excuse for executing someone as he did, and especially given the circumstances where he's on tape admitting its wrong (i.e. in contravention of the Geneva Convention).

However, having never been in a war zone myself, and having never suffered the enormous stresses it must place you under when your life is in constant danger, it's very difficult for someone like me to be judgemental. What I do know is that these stresses can cause what are otherwise completely normal people to do really terrible things. Look at the incidences of gang rapes that happen in war situations. Are all the people who do this, rapists who when not in war time, roam the streets attacking women? No, they are not. But something happens to them such they end up doing these terrible things.

So it's very conceivable to me that the stress of what he's been under has caused what would otherwise be a decent bloke to do a terrible thing. I am more than happy for the judges to decide, since they are the ones with all the evidence and experts witnesses etc. Who knows how any of us would behave in such terrible circumstances.

 

[dachoosen1]

Inexcusable executions aren't acceptable regardless of the situation. And I have zero love for terrorists. But we are better then them and he should have received medical treatment and stood trial for his crimes. Hopefully he will but serving his time surrounded by people who aren't big fans of these dickheads.

 

[Tuearts right boot]

Just playing devils advocate for the moment. There's a strong argument that his actions could have endangered the lives of other British soldiers. If you start executing prisoners, then even when they are outnumbered and surrounded they will see no point in surrendering. They might as well fight to the death and take as many of the enemy with them as they can.

These religious fanatics are going to do exactly that in the name of their religion and get rewarded for it in their afterlife. Why else would you even contemplate straping a bomb to yourself let alone actually do it. Fair play to the sargeant, he was doing his job. His only crime was recording it.

 

[mancunial]

Geddon, Royal. Yer did a job a very few could.

Let em pass judgement from the comfort of their home and from behind a computer.

Most have no fuckin' clue whatsoever!!

Spot on